Captive at Number 12: Alternative Confessions
by CeliaEquus
Summary: Ten of those moments where Hermione or Yaxley could have confessed their feelings, with a surprise at the end to keep you primed for the sequel. Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I'm making no money from this.
1. Late

_Italics: __excerpt __from __chapter __five __of__ "__Captive __at __Number __12__"_.

"Late"

_Someone, perhaps both, had summoned the energy to pull the quilt up. Their hands rested next to each other, barely touching. Neither mentioned what happened thirty-three days before. They were currently coming to terms with what was happening, something which couldn't be voiced. Finally, Yaxley spoke._

"_Sorry I forgot to send through some Pain Relief Potion," he said. She looked at him, frowning in confusion._

"_For what?"_

"_Your… monthly," he said. "Usually you have some, but I didn't put any in the cupboard, and I wasn't sure whether there was any in the bathroom cabinet…"_

_While __he __talked, __Hermione __panicked. __Her __period. __It __was __supposed __to __come __a __couple __of_ _weeks __ago. __It __had __never __been __this __late __before, even when she'd been sick. What if…?_

"Oh gods," she whispered, sitting up straight. Yaxley arched an eyebrow at her interruption. "Oh _gods_!" She began to shake, and he sat up as well.

"What is it?" he asked, placing an arm around her shoulders. She continued to mutter the same thing over and over again. "Hermione. Hermione! Would you calm down? What is _wrong_ with y…"

"I'm late!" His lips remained parted mid-speech as he stared at her.

"You're… late?" he said. She nodded, and then shook her head.

"I can't be pregnant," she said. "I can't be pregnant, because that w-would mean that I'm i-in _love_ with you, and I _can__'__t_ be in love with you because you're a Death Eater, and you hate anyone who isn't Pureblood, so you hate _me_, and you'd never…"

She was cut off as he pulled her close and pressed his mouth to hers. Slowly, he lowered her to the bed and began to trail his fingers down her sides, moving her into position beneath him. She sobbed into his mouth, the tears falling down her cheeks, at the perfection of this moment. He pulled back and studied her face.

"I don't hate you, Hermione," he said. He slipped one arm beneath her body and kissed her forehead. "Far from it." She sniffled and shook her head again.

"I'm sure it's just stress," she said, looking away. "Or I haven't been eating enough. Th-that's all."

"Is that how you feel?" he said. He was frowning. "Do you _really_ feel that way?"

She returned her gaze to him, and more tears welled up in her eyes.

"No," she said, and she cleared her throat. "No, I _don__'__t_ feel that way." He smiled, but she had averted her eyes again and missed it. "But you would never accept our child. Or have you forgotten that the children of Mudbloods don't 'stir your sympathies'?"

His smile faded. "Hermione, don't…"

"Just don't ask me to have an abortion," she said, her voice weak. She finally made eye contact again. "I know you don't want this child…"

"Damn it, woman!" he said, kneeling up. "Don't suppose that you know what I want."

"But… but you…"

"There's something I need to tell you," he said, closing his eyes. "About magical pregnancy."

"No abortions?" she asked, her voice bitter. He shook his head and smiled down at her again.

"A witch can only fall pregnant if the wizard she loves… loves her back."

"Then there's no way I could be pregnant," she said, and she relaxed.

He inhaled through his teeth as he grabbed his left arm. "Damn it," he repeated. He looked at her, and she grimaced.

"Go," she said.

"Not yet," he said, and he grabbed her arms. "Hermione, do you love me?"

"What…"

"Are you in love with me?"

"Yes!" They both looked shocked, but then she nodded. "Yes, I'm in love with you."

He stood up and got dressed, all while she lay there, twiddling her thumbs and feeling miserable.

"Hermione," he said, voice soft.

"Yes?"

He hesitated, but then he leaned down and kissed her.

"I will perform a charm to determine whether or not you are pregnant when I return," he said. Her eyes grew wide.

"Why?" she asked. "There's no need…" Then her jaw dropped. " Unless you…"

"Yes," he said, echoing her earlier confession. He kissed her again and then strode to the door, with no idea that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had been caught, and were being held at Malfoy Manor as they spoke.

* * *

><p><strong>As you can see, my dear readers, there will be excerpts from the original story in most of these chapters, really just to set the scene. Hopefully they aren't long enough to bore you.<strong>

**This is sort of a pit-stop on the way to the sequel to "Captive at Number 12", as you will see in the final chapter. There are ten chapters in all, for ten different moments they might have confessed… well, whatever.**


	2. Newspaper

_Italics: __excerpt __from __chapter __six __of__ "__Captive __at __Number __12__"_.

"Newspaper"

_Harry and Ron were changing their clothes when Hermione woke up. Not knowing that anything was different, she padded down the stairs, pausing when she saw the paper on the table. She picked it up, hoping that Yaxley had left it for her, even if that meant that he was gone again._

_It felt like a kick to the gut._

_**PETTIGREW, YAXLEY FOUND DEAD**_

_She read all about how Harry, Luna and Ron had been prisoners, and were suspected to be responsible for the deaths of the two men and the Stunning of Draco Malfoy. But it was that one phrase that ran through her mind… 'Yaxley found dead', 'Yaxley found dead', 'Yaxley found dead'…_

"_Oh gods," she whispered, dropping the paper. Then she heard footsteps behind her, and turned, half-hoping to see him. Instead…_

"_Hermione!" Ron and Harry shouted, and they jumped down the last few steps. She shrank back, causing them to stop in their tracks._

"_I-identify yourselves," she said, trying to stay calm._

"_Um," Ron said, and he pulled the beaded bag out from behind his back. "You threw this at us while Yaxley had his wand at your throat."_

_She couldn't help it; a tear fell down her cheek. "And you… you…"_

"_Luna's here, too," Harry said._

"_You killed him!" she shouted, clutching her chest. "You k-killed him!"_

"_We didn't kill Pettigrew," Ron said, but she wasn't listening._

"_How __could __you __kill __him __like __that? __He __kept __me __safe! __He__… __he__… __The __Light __is __about __saving, __not __murdering! __I __c-can__'__t __believe __it. __He __can__'__t __be__ dead,__" __she __said __softly. __She __turned __her __back __on __them, __hugging __herself._ "I love him."

"You _what_?" Ron said, his face twisted in disgust.

"I love him," she said, a bit louder. She couldn't bring herself to face them.

"Who, Pettigrew?"

"No!" She whirled around and glared at Harry and Ron, not noticing anyone else. "I love Yaxley," their jaws dropped, "and I think… I think I'm pregnant."

"Really?" Luna said, but as Hermione's head swivelled to look at her she saw the last person she ever expected to see again.

"I killed Pettigrew," Yaxley said, his voice higher-pitched than usual. He swallowed as Hermione stared at him. "My body is actually his, and then I just killed a rat, and…" He took a step forward. "Hermione, speak to me."

She worked her jaw, but then smiled, and ran into his arms. He lifted her off her feet as he held her close, nuzzling her neck. Her body shook with emotion and she sniffed, clutching onto him to convince herself that he really was there.

"I'm sorry," she said. Her heart was pounding ferociously. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to…"

"Don't apologise," he mumbled, stroking her hair. "I love you, too."

Sniffle. "You do?"

"Yes," he said. He kissed the skin of her neck and breathed in her scent. "Gods, I love you, Hermione."

"Breakfast, anyone?" Luna asked, breaking the mood. Hermione and Yaxley were reminded that they had company, but he pulled her in the direction of the living room.

"We will join you soon," he said. "But there is something else I must do first."

* * *

><p><strong>I've attempted to vary the confessions as much as possible, at least in their executions andor endings. Some may appear similar, but hopefully they've been spaced apart, and… well, that's not entirely the point, is it?**

**Anyway, I'm all book to go to Melbourne with Mum on Saturday morning, and then she's coming back on Sunday evening, leaving me behind. *Sniffs* But I swear that I shall keep posting! My trusty USBs - all five of them - go with me everywhere.**

**See you next post!**


	3. Alive

_Italics: __excerpt __from__ chapter __six __of__ "__Captive __at __Number __12__"_.

"Alive"

"_You killed him!" she shouted, clutching her chest. "You k-killed him!"_

"_We didn't kill Pettigrew," Ron said, but she wasn't listening._

"_How could you kill him like that? He kept me safe! He… he… The Light is about saving, not murdering! I c-can't believe it. He can't be dead," she said softly._

_She turned her back on them, hugging herself. If she really was pregnant…_

_Then she heard someone clear his throat, and knew who it was._

"_I, uh, killed Pettigrew," Yaxley said, his heart beating faster. "And then a rat. My 'body' is really Pettigrew's…"_

_He relaxed and smiled when Hermione ran forward and threw her arms around him. Her body shook as she pressed her face into his neck, trying to control her tears. Then he put his arms around her, and all was right with the world._

"Oh, thank Circe," she whispered, holding him close. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Not if I can help it," he said, caressing her back. "I love you. You can't get rid of me that easily."

She froze, and then pulled back to stare at him.

"You what?" she said. His smile faded.

"Uh…" He shut his eyes. "Please forget I said that."

"No, I won't," she said, clenching his arms as he tried to move away. "Did you say that you love me?"

He sighed. "Yes, I did."

"And _do_ you love me?"

"Of course I do."

She beamed at him, and threw her arms around his shoulders again. This time, he was much more hesitant about holding her, especially when he saw her friends' looks of shock, but he couldn't help himself.

"I'm so glad you feel that way," Hermione said, and he relaxed somewhat. "Because I think I might be… expecting."

"Expecting what?" he asked, frowning slightly. Then it dawned on him. "Expecting…"

**Uh… sorry it's so short. But I felt that the last line said it all. Oh, and I'm working on a different computer so EVERYTHING is different - hence no line break.  
><strong>


	4. Healing

"Healing"

Hermione had conceded the fact that she had to ask somebody to help, and knew that she couldn't ask the boys. She didn't want to give Yaxley any more ammunition to use against her, even though he _had_ defected. More than that, she didn't want his looks of pity if he knew that she had fallen for him, nor did she wish him to feel a sense of obligation towards their child…

"_Only_ if it's positive," she muttered.

So, while he was out, she was looking for Luna. Fortunately, she found the blonde girl alone in the dining room, calling out instructions to the boys as she perused one of the books from Hermione's bag. She smiled up at the older girl.

"Hello, Hermione," she said. "How are you this afternoon?"

"Fine," she said, but the lines on her forehead and the way she played with the hem of her shirt suggested otherwise. "Um, could I talk to you for a minute or so? Somewhere _they_ can't hear us?" She tilted her head towards the kitchen, where the boys were trying to construct something for dinner.

"Certainly," Luna said. "I'm sure they can manage by themselves now. Where would you like to talk?"

"The living room?"

"Very well. I'll meet you there soon."

When Luna got to the living room she closed the door most of the way. Hermione hurried over to her.

"Do you know much about Healing?" she blurted out. Luna looked mildly surprised.

"A bit," she said. "Why? Are you hurt?"

* * *

><p>Yaxley had finished what he needed to do at his manor, and spent the rest of the time collecting his thoughts. When he held Hermione that morning, and realised just how relieved she must have been to find out that he was still alive, his feelings for her hit him a hundred-fold. He was still reeling from the overwhelming wave of emotion, convincing himself that it was all right to feel this way, and that he should go back to Grimmauld Place and… and just tell her. With that in mind, he Disapparated.<p>

He saw the Lovegood child approaching the living room. She smiled at him and nodded, and left the door ajar. He would have walked right past if he hadn't heard Hermione speak. His eyes widened as he heard Luna reply.

"A bit. Why? Are you hurt?"

_Please__say__no_, he thought.

"No," Hermione said. He relaxed marginally. "But it's… it's bad. No-no! Don't panic. It's just that it's, well, serious. Very serious, and if I knew the charm – and if my own feelings wouldn't compromise it…"

"What charm, Hermione?" Luna asked.

Yaxley scowled when he realised that Hermione had whispered it to her friend. But the loud gasp from Luna made up his mind. He pushed the door open.

"What charm is it?" he said, studying Hermione's face. She looked horrified, and turned away quickly.

"Don't tell him," she said, her head turning slightly to look at Luna.

"But I don't know the spell," she said. "My mother died before she could teach it to me."

"Oh!" Hermione buried her face in her hands.

"Don't worry," Luna said, patting her back. "You don't need me to cast it. The father can do it; just not the mother."

"Father? Mother?" Yaxley said, staring at her as she passed him on the way out. "Miss Lovegood, what charm does she…" He gaped as he looked at Hermione's back, never noticing that the door closed and they were alone. "Hermione? What kind of charm do you n…"

"A charm to check for pregnancy," she said, so quietly that he almost missed it. At first, he thought that he had. She stiffened at his touch, but he determinedly turned her around to face him, and he tilted her chin up.

"Do you have reason to suppose that you are pregnant?" She nodded. "What reason?"

"I'm late," she said. "My p-period was due a few weeks ago. And…" She trailed off, looking down. He forced her to focus on him.

"And?" His voice was barely a whisper.

"I think I'm in love with you," she said.

Yaxley smiled, and he drew her into a kiss, which quickly turned passionate. He dragged her over to the couch; at the last moment, however, he reminded himself that there was something more important to do.

"Lie down," he said, drawing his wand. She obeyed, and he ensured that she was lying flat before he began to cast the spell that all Purebloods were taught when they hit puberty.

They watched as a small blob of pink light formed over her abdomen. He grinned, ended the spell, then pulled her into his arms.

He would tell her what it all meant later. But for now, they had something to celebrate.

* * *

><p><strong>Yay-ness!<strong>

**By the way, I'm in Melbourne at the moment, so I haven't really been able to update, other than the previous chapter. But my cousin has set me up on her computer, so I've uploaded the rest of the chapters for this story. Now I ought to be able to update regularly.**


	5. Spells

_Italics: __excerpt __from __chapter __seven __of__ "__Captive __at __Number __12__"_.

"Spells"

"_I have defected from the Dark Lord," he said, standing up. "You no longer have to do what I say for fear of being turned over to him. Trust me, Miss Granger; I will never make such 'demands' of you again."_

_Just as he went to move past her, she caught his arm._

"_May I make some demands, then?" she asked. He swallowed._

"_Anything," he said, before mentally kicking himself. This was showing weakness, something he had done far too often the last few days. But Hermione didn't laugh at him. Instead, she placed a hand on his cheek; not for a slap, but for a caress._

"_The first one is… call me 'Hermione'," she said. "It seems ridiculous for you to call me 'Miss Granger'."_

"_As you wish," he said. "Hermione." She smiled brightly._

"_My second one is that I…" She looked down, blushing furiously. He tilted her chin up._

"_What is it?" he asked softly._

"_Keep making those demands of me."_

_He thought that he'd misheard. She hadn't just asked him that… had she?_

"_W-what was that?"_

"_Don't make me say it again," she said, pulling back. He grabbed her hands before she could go. "Please…"_

"_Hermione," he said. He glanced at the doorway, but there was no one there. He would do it; he would let down his guard. "Sit down."_

"_No, I won't," she said. "Just tell me whatever it is you want to say."_

_He __chuckled.__ "__I __wasn__'__t __going __to __say __anything._ I was simply going to remove the charms I placed on you when I… first made you a prisoner here." He was no longer grinning. "It won't take long. You really should sit down for this; that's all."

Her eyes lit up. "Really? You're going to remove them?"

"Yes," he said, drawing his wand. "Please sit down, Hermione."

She nodded as she made her way to one of the fireside armchairs, but then she stopped and turned around, placing her hand on her stomach.

"Um…"

"What is it?" he asked. She chewed her bottom lip. "If you don't trust me, I understand, but…"

"It's not that," she said, and she glanced down where her hand was resting. He looked down as well, confused. "Only… I might be…" She halted, swallowing.

"Are you in pain?" he said, moving forward. To his relief, she didn't stiffen or cower, despite the fact that he was still holding his wand. "What's wrong? If nothing else, you'll feel better after this."

"The spells won't hurt the…" She clapped her other hand to her mouth.

"The what?" he said. But then he pieced it all together: how affectionate she had been, the way she protected her belly, referring to something that might be hurt by magic…

Rather than speak, he knelt in front of her and moved her hand out of the way. He placed his left cheek against her, wrapping his arms around her back, and pulled her close. She threaded her fingers into his hair. He could feel her trembling.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" he said.

"I… I think so," she said, her voice quavering. "I don't know for sure, but I… I rather think I am."

"Oh, Hermione," he whispered. He tilted his head around and kissed the place where their child was surely growing. "I hope you are."

"Because you want an heir, or… or something?" she asked. His touch was doing peculiar things to her body, as always, but that kiss very nearly made her knees buckle.

"Ask Miss Lovegood or young Weasley," he said.

"Ask them what?"

"About magical pregnancy," he said, and he stood up. "But first, I'll remove the charms from you. They won't harm the child." He held up a hand. "I swear it."

* * *

><p>Hanging out with her friends afterwards, watching the boys struggle to put a proper meal together, Hermione did as Yaxley suggested, first making sure that all sharp objects were out of reach.<p>

"Yaxley mentioned something about magical pregnancy," she said. Harry, Ron and Luna all turned and looked at her with varying degrees of incredulity.

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Because I had concerns," she said, raising her eyebrows. "I'm Muggleborn. You know what we've been doing here." She traced patterns on the tabletop. "He said that a witch can only fall pregnant when she's in love with the wizard."

"Yeah, so you'd be safe," Ron said. Luna half-smiled.

"But that's not all," she said.

"In fact, you're _doubly_ safe," Ron continued. "The wizard has to love her back, see?"

"That's… that's the only way?" Hermione said, wide-eyed.

"That's cool," Harry said, smiling as he no doubt thought about Ginny.

"Yep," Ron said, turning back to the food.

The two boys missed the brilliant smile that lit up Hermione's face as she, too, hoped that she was pregnant.

* * *

><p><strong>See what I mean about them being different? *Sniggers*<strong>


	6. Teardrop

_Italics: __excerpt __from __chapter __seven __of__ "__Captive __at __Number __12__"_.

"Teardrop"

_Exhausted by the time they reached climax – for Hermione, the second time – they lay entangled. It wasn't until she thought of her possible pregnancy that she began to push at him to move off. Rather than removing himself, he held her as he rolled onto his back, keeping them connected. The intimacy of the action brought tears to Hermione's eyes, but she hid her face in his chest as she blinked them back. No point in giving herself away, even if he seemed to care about her. There was no way a conformist Pureblood would ever love a Muggleborn._

Yet she couldn't help a rogue teardrop fall onto his chest.

* * *

><p>Tired as he was, Yaxley felt it, and he lifted his head to see what was going on. What he saw made his heart clench painfully.<p>

"Why are you crying?" he asked. She gasped and looked up at him.

"I… I… No reason," she said, but she tried to struggle out of his grasp. He held tight.

"Tell me, Hermione," he said. "Was it… was it really that bad?" He tried to sound amused, but the fact that she was crying hurt more than just his pride. She shook her head.

"No," she said. "It was wonderful, as always." He thought for a moment.

"This isn't anything to do with your friends, is it?"

"No, it isn't."

"…I hate to say it, but you were the one who asked me to keep 'making demands' of you," he said. "You have every right to say…"

"That's not it," she said, hasty to interrupt.

"Then what _is_ it?"

She sighed, and sagged against him, still evading eye contact.

"You hate me, don't you?" she said.

"Why would I hate you?" he asked, without thinking. She finally looked at him, clearly surprised.

"I'm a Muggleborn," she said. "You hate my kind, remember?"

He floundered momentarily, but settled on a half-truth. "I don't hate _you_. I chose you, after all. And remember; I've changed sides now, haven't I?" She smiled brightly.

"That's true," she said, and she snuggled again, her knees squeezing his sides. Her smile disappeared. "But you'd never love me, would you?"

Yaxley wondered if she could hear how his heart was racing. Surely she could at least feel it?

"Why do you ask?" he said.

"I… nothing."

"No, please tell me." He stroked her damp cheek gently. "Hermione, why would you want me – a Death Eater – to love you?"

She seemed reluctant to speak. He was nearly shattered when she removed his hand from her face; but his pulse sped up when she shifted enough to press his palm against her still-flat stomach and held it there, before glancing up at him from beneath her eyelashes.

"That's why," she said. "And this…" She then moved his hand again, only this time to the left side of her chest, where he could feel her heart pounding away, just like his. He smiled.

"And this is why I'll never leave you," he said, using his other hand to push her head back down to his chest. "Can you feel it?" She nodded, her bushy hair tickling him. "Good. Now let's get some sleep, hmm?" Another nod. "Hermione? I love you."

"I love you, too," she said, and she placed a delicate kiss on his flushed skin. "Good night."

* * *

><p><strong>Aw! The fluff!<strong>


	7. Sickness

_Italics: __excerpt __from __chapter __seven __of__ "__Captive __at __Number __12__"_.

"Sickness"

_By the morning they had separated, but his arm was draped across her stomach where she lay. Then she realised what had woken her up._

_Desperate though she was, she didn't wish to wake him up because of this. So she carefully extricated herself, grabbed a dressing gown, and was soon scurrying down the hallway into the bathroom. She barely had time to shut the door and get to the toilet before she was throwing up._

_Morning sickness. It had to be morning sickness. Unless she was having a hysterical pregnancy. Were there hysterical pregnancies in the wizarding world?_

_Oh gods._

_No. She knew that she was pregnant. But to make sure, she needed to get someone to cast the spell, someone who knew the spell, someone she could trust to be discreet._

_She moaned as she knelt by the toilet, just in case she was sick again. She doubted her friends knew, and she couldn't ask…_

* * *

><p>Yaxley had stirred as soon as he felt Hermione moving. He was a bit annoyed when she let his arm drop to the bed without even looking back.<p>

And he was more than a bit pained when she yanked on a dressing gown and ran out of the room, not even bothering to take her wand. He frowned. She had asked for this, and certainly never objected, not even when he clung to her afterwards, unwilling to let her go. The cynic in him was laughing, yet a tiny ball of hope reminded him that maybe she just really needed to go to the bathroom.

He felt compelled to check on her. Once he had rolled out of bed and got into his own dressing gown, he stepped into the hallway. He immediately began to worry when he heard the sound of retching coming from the toilet, and he hurried there as quietly as he could, more awake than he usually was at such an early hour.

Sure enough, when he wrenched open the door he saw Hermione bent over the toilet bowl, spluttering and coughing. Years as a Death Eater had hardened his stomach, but apparently not his heart, as he knelt behind her and magically secured her hair behind her head. The blood drained from her face when she looked at him.

"Do you usually react like this after we've…" He tilted his head in the direction of the hallway. "Or is this a new thing?"

She laughed weakly, which made her throw up again. He stroked her back, and then kissed the top of her head when she was finished.

"I need Luna," she rasped. "Could you bring her to our bedroom? I'll… I'll be there soon."

"Of course," he said, brushing tears from her face. "Take as long as you need. Only I hope you don't mind if I get dressed first. I followed you when I realised that something might be wrong."

"Sorry I woke you," she said as he helped her stand up. "I was going to come back as soon as I could. I wanted to… wake up with you, not just fall asleep with you."

"We have plenty of time for that," he said. She began to smile. "We'll be waiting. Do you… do you want me there?"

"Yes," she said.

* * *

><p>It was traditional for Purebloods to teach their children certain charms at the same time as telling them the facts of life. Hermione remembered Ginny telling her this; unfortunately, the younger girl had never got around to teaching her friend how to do any of these spells. But Hermione knew that women were not supposed to cast the charm to check for pregnancy on themselves, as their own feelings towards being pregnant usually compromised the result.<p>

Yes, she should have asked Yaxley to do the charm – he would undoubtedly know it – but she couldn't find the right words. And she didn't want his magic to compromise the results, either.

When she got to the bedroom she saw him leaning against a bedpost, while Luna looked around the room, admiring Hermione's changes to the décor.

"Good morning," Hermione said.

"Good morning, Hermione," Luna said, far too cheerful for that time of the day. "How are you?"

"Sorry about getting you out of bed at this hour," she said, avoiding the question. "I, uh, need to ask you to cast a charm for me."

"Don't you trust me?" Yaxley asked. Hermione was tongue-tied when she looked at him, so she returned her attention to her friend.

"Do you know the charm to… to check for…" She screwed her eyes shut and breathed deeply. In the end, she bent over and whispered directly into the blonde's ear. "Luna, can you find out if I'm pregnant?"

"Of course I can, Hermione," Luna said, indicating the bed. "Please lie down, and give me a moment to remember how this goes."

"Are you sure you want me here?" Yaxley asked. He sounded decidedly bitter. "If I make you this uncomfortable…"

"Oh, for Merlin's _sake_, be quiet, Yaxley!" Hermione snapped, shuffling into place. "I'm ready, Luna. Do you… remember how the, uh, spell goes?"

"I do now," she said, and she began to murmur something as she waved her wand over Hermione's abdomen. A pink mass appeared, not too large, and Luna stepped back at the same time that Yaxley stepped forward. He was transfixed.

"That spell… that was…" He couldn't finish, couldn't even look away.

"What does it mean, Luna?" Hermione asked. Luna ended the spell.

"A healthy baby, only in its first trimester," she said. "I don't know whether it's a boy or a girl, but there's just the one." She patted her friend's hand. "Congratulations. May I go back to bed now?"

"Yes," Hermione said. "Thanks, Luna."

"You're welcome, Hermione." And she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Finally, Hermione looked up at Yaxley, and was astounded to see a small smile on his face, softening his hard features. She treasured the moments she saw his human side, and knew that it was moments such as these which led her to falling in love with him.

Her one consolation was that at least he was on their side now.

"I'm sorry," she said, and she began to sit up. He was by her side in an instant, pressing her back down into the covers. Then he carefully climbed over and pulled her close, cradling her body against his.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked.

"I didn't mean to fall for you, and I never meant to get pregnant," she said.

"Of course not; and it isn't entirely your fault, either."

"Because you're so lovable?" she asked drily. He chuckled.

"Because I love you, too," he said. "Don't look so surprised. I… did not tell you _everything_ about magical pregnancy." He looked away guiltily. "You would not be able to fall pregnant if I did not share your feelings."

She nibbled the inside of her cheek while she studied him. "It _did_ seem a bit one-sided at the time, but you said yourself that a wizard's coming-of-age is seen as a bigger deal than a witch's coming-of-age." Then she paused, followed by a grin. "You love me!"

"Now it dawns on her," he said, stroking the material of her gown. "Yes, I love you. Oh, and we shall be married as soon as it is possible. Do you agree?" Her eyes widened, but she merely nodded in response. "Good. Shall we celebrate?"

* * *

><p><strong>Longer chapter. Huzzah! You're welcome. This was by the far the chapter I thought the most about in terms of alternative confessions.<strong>


	8. Mudblood

_Italics: __excerpt __from __chapter __seven __of__ "__Captive __at __Number __12__"_.

"Mudblood"

_Yaxley didn't join Hermione that night, which was just as well, as she had to make a dash to the loo in the early hours again._

_When she went downstairs she could hear voices in the living room. As she got closer she recognised them. The men were obviously arguing about something. With her ear to the keyhole she could finally make out their words._

"…_irresponsible. She is just a girl, Yaxley. I thought I knew you better than that."_

"_Have you seen her, Severus? I couldn't resist."_

"_You stole her innocence. In the absence of her parents, I wish to know your intentions towards her. And your feelings. Do you lo…"_

"_Feelings? For a Mudblood? You must be…"_

_Hermione clapped a hand to her mouth to silence her gasp. She hurried away, wanting to have breakfast before anyone else in case they wanted anything that made her feel sick._

_Though nothing could make her feel worse than she felt right now._

* * *

><p>Severus and Yaxley both turned when they heard a gasp. Yaxley's chest tightened and he strode to the door, nearly pulling it off the hinges when he yanked on the handle. He looked left and right, and was horrified to see Hermione hurrying away, her hand wiping something off her face. He ran after her.<p>

"Hermione! Stop," he said, grabbing her arm.

"Let me go," she said, trying to throw him off. "Unhand me this minute!"

"Please, let me explain," he said. She shook her head, and he could just make out the tears sliding down her cheeks. "Hermione, I'm so sorry. Just hear me out. Please!"

"No." She shook her head again, more violently this time, but he dragged her into the nearest room and made her face him.

"You _will_ listen," he said.

"Oh really?" She glared at him, viciously swiping her tears away. "I'm no longer yours to command; or have you forgotten that?"

"No, I haven't forgotten," he said, now stroking her arms. "I've done you no end of wrongs, and I'm surprised you'd even let me touch you…" He stopped, remembering her demands for liberation, and pulled back.

"I'm surprised that you'd _willingly_ touch a Mudblood," she said icily, and she turned her back on him. She crossed her arms, but seemed to be hugging herself. "It's funny. I thought that that word no longer affected me. Well." She sniffled. "Congratulations. You must be very proud of yourself."

"Don't say that," he said. His tiredness was evident in his voice. "I didn't mean it."

"Naturally."

"Well, I _didn__'__t_!" he snapped. She jumped, and he immediately felt ashamed. "Don't you remember what happened to Severus? He called Lily Potter a… that word."

"Yes, but under very strained circumstances," she said. Her shoulders were still tensed. "And he loved her, which is the reason he apologised, not that she accepted it. What excuse do you have?"

He stepped forward and placed a hand on her upper back. She didn't shrug him off, which he considered a small victory.

"I said that word…"

"Say it." She glanced at him. "Say it. You've said it any number of times before."

"I… I called you a 'Mudblood'," his voice shook on that word, "because Severus was interrogating me, and he was getting so close to the truth. I didn't want him to know. I didn't want anyone to know, but especially not before I could tell you."

"What truth?" she whispered. He moved to her side and tilted her face towards his. There were still tears in her eyes, and he kissed the corner of one, tasting the saltiness on his lips.

"That I have the same reason to apologise," he said. She frowned slightly. "The reason that Severus asked for forgiveness is the same reason I now beg your forgiveness." He dropped to one knee in front of her and she gasped. "Hermione, please. I'll do anything. I'll stay away from you forever if you'll only accept my apologies… and say that you don't hate me."

Hermione crumpled to the floor and took his head in her hands.

"I could never hate you," she said, thumbs stroking his cheeks. "Never. Oh, you foolish man." She giggled. "I should have known. My two best friends are boys, after all, and I suppose it just gets worse as you get older." He winced, and she kissed the tip of his nose. "No, I don't hate you. How could I, when you… when you've stolen my heart?" She smiled through her tears, vaguely amused by his look of astonishment. "Surely you can't think yourself incapable of being loved? All those who can feel love can _be_ loved." She let go of his face and snaked her arms around the back of his neck, pressing her body against his.

"You… love _me_…?"

"I do."

He contemplated her confession for several seconds.

"Then… will you marry me, Hermione?"

She pulled back to look at him, searching his face, presumably for honesty. Satisfied that he was asking in earnest…

"Yes," she said.

* * *

><p><strong>And all is forgiven. *Beams* Two more to go!<strong>


	9. Bittersweet

_Italics: __excerpt __from __chapter __seven __of__ "__Captive __at __Number __12__"_.

"Bittersweet"

_Severus was going to take Luna back to Hogwarts today, but he wouldn't be able to visit much – if at all – after that. So it was now or never._

"_Professor Snape," Hermione said, pulling him into the room with the Black family tapestry, as that was the nearest and no one would think to look for them there._

"_What is it, Miss Granger?"_

"_I need you to cast a spell for me, sir. I didn't know who else to ask."_

"_Which spell?"_

_She looked down at her hands. "A… a spell to check for p-pregnancy."_

"_Ah," he said, and his eyes narrowed. "I see. Lie down flat and keep your hands at your sides."_

_When she was in position he knelt beside her and began to chant while waving his wand over her abdomen. Eventually a small pink blob appeared. Severus ended the spell and helped her stand._

"_What did it mean?" she asked._

"_Congratulations, Miss Granger," he said, sheathing his wand. "You're expecting. Without a test less basic than that one, I cannot give you an exact time, but you are in the first trimester, judging by the size of the form."_

"_Is it a girl?"_

"_The colour pink means that the baby is healthy. It is not a determination of the gender. As I have said, you need a more thorough examination." He cocked his head. "I need no longer speculate about your feelings."_

"_Yes, but he doesn't feel the same way about me," she whispered, leaning against the wall. "I would end up giving my heart to the wrong man, wouldn't I? All these years of thinking about Ron, and all it took was one missed jinx to end up changing me completely." She laughed as she shook her head. "He's a Death Eater, and I'm a Mudblood. Just like he said." She felt her eyes welling up._

Just then the door slammed open and Yaxley ran to her side. She paled, and went to speak; but he placed a hand over her mouth.

"I didn't mean to say it," he said. "I didn't want him to know the truth. It wasn't for him to hear, at least not before you. And I was unsure of your own feelings, or I would have spoken sooner."

"I guess we know what my feelings are now," she said, placing a hand on her stomach as she looked at the ground. It was a surprise when he bent down and kissed her, right in front of Professor Snape, after pretty much confessing that she was in love with the man who had been her jailer for several months. She was breathless when he finally pulled back.

"And my feelings," he said. She tilted her head. "You're pregnant because… I love you, too."

"Congratulations," Severus said, startling them both. "I will leave you to your rejoicing." He sneered half-heartedly. "You are fortunate to have each other. I wish you," he sighed, "joy." He walked to the door. "Enjoy your time together. After all," he smiled bitterly, "it may not be that long."

With those bittersweet words, he left them alone.

* * *

><p><strong>Poor Professor Snape. Hopefully he'll cheer up in the sequel.<strong>


	10. Battle

"Battle"

Everyone was assembling in the Entrance Hall and nearby, getting ready for battle, both physically and emotionally. Many 'best of luck's and the like were being said.

Hermione and Yaxley both knew of her feelings for him, thanks to the pregnancy. He had pleaded with her one last time not to fight, but she was insistent, and he knew that there was no use arguing about it, despite the fear he held for them.

But… perhaps one last shot…

He pulled her away from the crowd into a relatively deserted corridor.

"Hermione," he began.

"I'm not going into hiding, and that's final," she said, though her voice lacked the harshness of her words. "I'm a Gryffindor, and we don't back down, remember?"

"I know," he said, and he held her hands. "Yet it frightens me, the thought of losing either of you, let alone both."

"He isn't even fully formed yet," she said. Madame Pomfrey had confirmed the gender of the baby; and right now the thought of his son, the one to carry on the family name, being in danger… it just made things worse, even though it gave him extra reason to help defeat the Dark Lord.

"But what he symbolises," Yaxley said. "_That_ is fully formed."

"I hope we both come out of this alive," Hermione said. "Truly."

"I swear to do everything in my power to make it so," he said. "Hermione…"

"They're at the gates!" Justin Finch-Fletchley shouted from behind his Omnioculars.

"At the ready, everyone!" That was Ron, at the top of the staircase. Yaxley looked down at Hermione, and then pulled her into a ferocious kiss. He reluctant moved away when they all felt Voldemort and his followers breaking the wards.

"I love you, Hermione," Yaxley said. "Stay safe, even when I'm not by your side. Do you hear?"

She nodded wordlessly, then jumped into his arms for what she hoped wouldn't be the last time.

* * *

><p><em>Epilogue<em>

"What fantasy has gripped your imagination this afternoon?" Yaxley asked, gazing at his wife from his armchair. She was lounging opposite, an unopened book in her hands and a blank expression on her face. She blinked rapidly.

"Sorry? What was that?"

"To use a Muggle saying, you were 'off with the pixies'," he said. He glanced at young Severus, who was studying the last of his textbooks before he was due to start at Hogwarts in a few weeks' time. "What occupied your thoughts? Something to try out after…" He nodded subtly towards their son, and her eyes widened as his implication sank in.

"No!" she said hastily. "Nothing like that. I was just recalling those months before he was born. I was thinking about the way things might have been."

"Oh," he said, looking down at his hands. "I see."

She was in his lap in a moment.

"Not like that," she said. "No regrets about the way things turned out, or have I not made myself clear after all these years?"

"She _has_ made herself clear, Father," Severus said, not even looking up from his book.

"Back to your reading, sweetie," Hermione said, smiling at him. Then she focussed on her husband. "I was simply wondering about all the different times we could have told each other things… that you loved me, that I loved you, that I was pregnant. We had so many opportunities. Most of my thoughts were of _sooner_ moments, and they all ended up happily… one way or the other."

"Any _certain_ ways?" he asked, purring the words into her ear. He was clearly in a much better mood, and if they could convince Severus to keep reading, or perhaps visit the Lupins, then they could reap the rewards of this…

* * *

><p><strong>And an epilogue sneaks in. There's a sneak-peak of Severus Yaxley, preparing to go to school! Next time we see them will be at King's Cross, so I hope to see you then. TTFN…<strong>


End file.
